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Thursday: Hogs, Frogs, & Scandals
posted at 2007-04-19 23:33 | Last modified 2007-11-14 10:38
Things quieted down a bit on Jones St. today. Lobbyists took a well-earned break after yesterday's House filing deadline. Many lawmakers took a break, too, heading up to DC for the annual meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures. But there were still enough folks around to make a few headlines.
Hogs and frogs
Hog poo was the topic of the day in the Senate, where Charlie Albertson's proposal for a permanent moratorium on hog lagoons sailed through easily. It might not get such preferential treatment in the House, where legislators are more skeptical about finding the money for the initiative, since Senate leaders want to let the temporary taxes sunset this year as planned.
Alas, the Senate "State Collard Green" bill was displaced till next week. I bet the turnip green lobby made a stink about it.
In the House, it was all about guns and bullfrogs. First, the "concealed weapons for judges" bill had its third reading, which was, improbably, more bizarre than yesterday's second reading.
Durham Dem Paul Luebke apologized to anyone he might have offended yesterday with his comments about VT, then proceeded to alienate even more of his peers with odd commentary about feminine sensitivity and "non-Southern" sensibilities about guns. Carteret Republican (Ms.) Pat McElraft stood up to claim her rights on the first category (if not the second), excoriating Luebke for stereotyping women. It just went downhill from there, culminating in an even more lopsided final vote to let judges pack heat on the bench.
After guns, it was on to frogs. The Mighty Squirrels of Pines Elementary visited the House gallery today to see their State Amphibian bill pass the House. As Alamance Republican Cary Allred said on the floor, "Ribbit."
As it turns out, "Ribbit" apparently means "No." Allred, who stuck up for his local salamanders, was the sole opposing vote on the bullfrog bill. Brave or foolhardy? You decide. If it helps, I'll have a story on it airing Friday morning.
What's next? A state bat. If you're curious, ask Phil Haire about it.
Easley emerges
The Gov had a busy day today. Out near Asheville, he announced he's asking the Feds to declare more than half the state's counties disaster areas after the recent hard freeze. The hardest-hit sector isn't fruit, as you might expect - it's nursery plants.
Easley also named Friday a day of mourning for the victims of the mass slaying at VA Tech. He's calling for a minute of silence at noon. NC joins 30 other states in this observance.
Bad news for Decker
The AP says US Judge James Dever is looking at a stiffer sentence for former state Rep. Michael Decker than federal prosecutors are asking for. Wonder what this means for the upcoming sentencings of former lottery commissioner Kevin Geddings and former House Speaker Jim Black? More tomorrow from Charlotte's David Ingram.
Make room on the bandwagon
Now that everyone else has come out in opposition to the Navy's proposed Washington County OLF, Senior Senator Elizabeth Dole has suddenly decided she doesn't like it either. Maybe she's running in '08 after all. The AP story ran in today's Navy TImes.
Bad biz day
Not a good week for NC business. Today, Dole Foods announced it's putting a frozen fruit plant - and 850 jobs - on hold after NC farmers wouldn't commit to the volume needed to supply it. Lenovo announced it's cutting 350 Triangle jobs. (Wait, aren't we paying them to create jobs? Not enough, apparently.)
The N&O drops two bombs. Sabine Vollmer says the state's biotechs are in trouble. And Vicki Lee Parker says mortgage foreclosures are up by 56 percent. Yikes.
Friday preview
David Ingram and I will be on Legislative Week in Review tomorrow night at 10 on UNC-TV. If we're lucky, David will talk about Decker's sentencing. With less luck, it'll be the usual bloviation. But either way, we'll do our best to make it entertaining. Stay tuned.
Comments? Drop me a line.
